Twist On Fair Politics: GOP Vs. GOP

Political challengers proposed debating incumbents. Incumbents pared down the challengers’ lists. The governor sat motionless as two buckets of ice were dumped on him.

It was a typical opening day at Minnesota’s Great (Political) Get-Together, except, that is, that the State Fair also featured Republican officials banning their endorsed Supreme Court candidate from the party’s fair booth.

Michelle MacDonald tried twice to get into the booth, between a radio station remote studio and the 99-year-old Ye Old mill ride. She had announced her plans to campaign at the fair booth each day of the fair, but two volunteer security guards greeted her and tried to keep her out. Elected party officials, including Chairman Keith Downey, were not there.

While she eventually was allowed in twice, it was just to look briefly, not to campaign.

MacDonald said Downey told her of the decision by party officials Wednesday to ban her, but she said those officials have a duty to either support their endorsed candidates or resign from party leadership.

The ban came a month before MacDonald faces a trial on a drunken driving charge and after being ticketed this month on a charge of violating her limited driver’s license.

Michael Brodkorb of politics.mn, a former GOP official, reported that one Republican Executive Council member said the panel would “fully support” MacDonald being arrested if she attempts to enter the Republican Party booth.

She was not arrested Thursday, although law enforcement officers were nearby.

MacDonald told Forum News Service that she plans to return to the booth each day.

Republicans meeting in Rochester this spring overwhelmingly endorsed MacDonald to challenge Justice David Lillehaug, who Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton appointed to the high court.

Sen. Scott Newman of Hutchinson, who Republicans nominated for attorney general, announced Thursday that he will support Lillehaug instead of MacDonald.

Longtime politics-at-the-fair observers said they never have seen anything like the MacDonald incident.

More traditional fair politics was plentiful, especially debates about debates.

Republican challengers to Dayton and U.S. Sen. Al Franken released lists of debates they proposed, while the incumbents sliced them down to a size they prefer.

Dayton offered six debates, and said he was not inclined to take part in any more:

— Oct. 1 in Rochester in front of the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities.

— The week of Oct. 6 in Moorhead in a debate that Forum News Service will sponsor.

— Oct. 14 in Duluth for an event by the Duluth News Tribune and the area Chamber of Commerce.

— The week of Oct. 20 in the Twin Cities, sponsored by a group that has not been selected.

— Oct. 31 on Twin Cities Public Television’s “Almanac.”

— Nov. 2 on Minnesota Public Radio.

While Republican candidate Jeff Johnson offered a 13-debate list, it appeared he likely would accept the Dayton offer while continuing to ask for more.

The same was true of Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike McFadden, who offered six debates, while Franken said he would only take part in three:

— Oct. 14 in a debate sponsored by the Duluth News Tribune and Chamber of Commerce.

— An unknown date on WCCO television in Minneapolis.

— Nov. 2 on MPR.

Franken and McFadden were on the same stage earlier this month at a Farmfest forum in southwestern Minnesota.

McFadden spokesman Tom Erickson said his candidate is disappointed that Franken will not take part in more debates, especially one Forum News Service offered to host in Moorhead. Franken said the three debates are the same number as in the Minnesota Senate race two years ago.

The coolest part of the day, for Dayton at least, came after the governor engaged in a radio interview. A producer dumped two buckets of ice water on Dayton as part of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, which has taken the country by storm in raising nearly $42 million for the illness, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Dayton took the ice after Minnesota Twins owner Jim Pohlad “nominated” him. Anyone who rejects the nomination of someone else is supposed to contribute to ALS research, but even though he was dumped on, Dayton said he will contribute anyway.

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ABOUT

Don Davis

Davis has covered Minnesota politics and government for Forum Communications Company/Forum News Service since 2001. He is an Iowa native who was a reporter and editor at newspapers there, leaving the state to edit newspapers in Illinois, Oklahoma and Wyoming before becoming a full-time political reporter in North Dakota. Now, newspapers across Minnesota print his stories.